To Be a Hero
by Scrat
Summary: Complete. Link was lost in confusion, he did not understand anything that was happening and he did not have the skills to save Hyrule. As far as he could see there was only one thing he could do, return the Master Sword.
1. To Be a Hero

**To Be a Hero**

"Navi, I can't do this!"

The forest temple had been too much. Link could still remember the confusing hallways, twisting and turning, poes laughing at him as he fought, and the pain. How long in the beginning did he make stupid mistakes, did he slip as he fight, all the times the sword felt to heavy and he was unable to swing it? Too many.

And then there had been the Kokori, innocent in their ways, ignoring him for he was nothing but a stranger to them. Hearing they thought him familiar, but could not remember… And Saria! Fighting long and hard to find her, taking weeks when it should have only taken days. But then, in the end she had to leave him. She was the forest sage and had to go and protect the forest. No longer could he talk to her, no longer just sit beside her and play a simple music piece.

Link sat down in the middle of the field and cried. Navi hovered around him; unsure of how to help something she didn't fully understand. She was but a fairy, and they matured differently. Though she was only ten years old, as Link was, she had already reached full maturity.

Unsure but knowing what they had to do she tugged at Link's sleeve. "Link, come on! We have to save Hyrule!"

Link swatted at her and looked up bleakly, "I don't think I can Navi. I'm not strong enough, I don't know how to use this sword, and everything – it just confuses me!" Looking north he could faintly see the Hyrule castle. "I know, I'll return it. Then, someone else can pull the sword and be the hero."

"LINK! What are you thinking? You are the Hero, no one else. No one else can do this!" Navi shrieked, watching as Link stood and started to stumble through the field. "At least ride Epona, please Link." Her voice grew softer, pleading. She was sure he would pull through before he did anything stupid and if he did not, she was sure that strange boy named Sheik would stop him.

Link looked back at Navi floating there, Epona was his. How could he forget? He had traveled first to the ranch, hoping to find something familiar in this strange place. Instead he found it in confusion. Malon was now a simple worker and had begged him to run off with Epona, that she would give her to him as long as he took good care of her. Their plans had been ruined when the old stable boy, now the owner, caught them.

He had first challenged Link to a race, which he had won easily as the man was no good at riding. He had to race again, this time the man didn't hold anything back, going as far as to try to trick or trip him during the simple race. He had won again, though it had been closer that time and in anger the man had locked him inside.

"Link?"

Link shook his head slightly and realized he had stopped walking, lost in thought of Epona, smiling at the thought of the jump that had gotten them out of there he nodded to Navi, "I'll call her." After all, she was one of the few people he understood and still loved him – even Malon was different.

The tune was cheery and it wasn't long till it was done. Putting the ocarina away it turning in a circle waiting for Epona, wondering which direction she would come from this time. As he allowed her to roam where she wished when he did not need her it was always a good guess at where she was.

A soft neigh came and he turned west, so she had been near the cliffs. He shook his head in amusement, Epona hated cliffs and as much as she hated water, yet it was there she spent her free time. As she reached him he easily pulled himself up and reached for Navi, who quickly flew to his hat, ignoring his hand.

Turning Epona North he started he galloping, hoping to get there as soon as possible, it didn't take long. As far away as it was, Hyrule was in reality rather small. One could start in one corner and reach the other in little more then a day at longest.

Epona refused to take him farther then the broken gate; he supposed she could feel the evil inside the castle. It was no problem though, as it was only a few minutes walk to his destination.

Getting off he took a few seconds to watch her run off before turning and crossing the bridge. It took a few minutes but he was dashing through the town to the safety of the light soon enough. He hated the redead and instead of killing them again he had decided to simply run past, there were a few close calls but it worked rather well.

Reaching the courtyard he was impressed by how deserted it was and how it _felt_. The very air seemed different, like something powerful was watching just out of sight. It unnerved him to be here but at the same time he felt safe.

Entering the doors he walked straight to the back room, footsteps echoing. He did not pause at the entry, nor slow down. He knew what he wanted and if he had nothing else he had a child's determination. It wasn't till he was already drawing the sword so that he may put it away that he was stopped.

"Link."

The voice was unnaturally high for a male, but he supposed all people were different. He knew whom the voice belonged to, for all of hearing it only twice. It was one of the few people that seemed alive, almost everywhere he went he was alone as there was no one left. Yet in the two deadest of places, Sheik, the man behind him, was there in the beginning. It was nice and he drew strength from it.

"Did you want something Sheik?"

Link heard shuffling behind him but refused to turn. The voice was closer this time as he spoke, "Link, what are you doing?"

"I can't handle it." His voice cracked slightly, "I'm not a hero, not the one you're looking for. And so, I'm going to return the Master Sword."

A few more shuffles, a hand on his shoulder, "You can't, only one can wield the master sword and you are the chosen."

Link brushed the hand off and laughed slightly, "Only one, me? Please, you must know of my progress in the Forest Temple, I made near none and all of it slow."

Sheik persisted though, Link had to give him points for that, "Yet you did it, you, when no one else could, saved the forest sage and all in the forest."

"Please, I have made up my mind." Link took the last step and put the sword into the stone.

A flash lit and when it was gone no one but Sheik stood there.

**A Few Minutes Later**

A young man stood at the west edges of Hyrule. He wore a dark green cloak with the hood down, instead a rich forest green hat was sitting on his head. The cloak was made for warmth and left open in the warm weather, allowing one to see the tunic that was a rich forest green, some color as the hat, with loose white pants under that. He had a brown belt with various pouches hanging from it, all looking fairly full, and a knife beside those. On his back hung a bow, sword, and shield. Around his shoulders floated a small fairy.

"So, we're finally back." It was from the small fairy, her voice was high and was one that grated on ones nerves.

The man smiled, "Yes, and I think I'm ready to be that Hero now."

"Link!" The fairy yelled, "It was not your choice in the first place! Think of everything that could've gone wrong!'

The man, now identified as Link, sighed, "But did they? I survived, I have learned to use the bow gifted to me in the Temple, as well as many different items. Not only that but now I understand, and that is something far more important than the other skills I've gained." He grinned before looking north, "Now it is time to see whether or not the sword was the same weight and balance of the Master Sword."

Navi, for it was Link and his fairy, sighed, "I thought you just said understanding was more important."

Link grinned at her, "Ah, but the skill of the sword is more important to keeping me alive." Grin still on his face he pulled out his ocarina, the fabled Ocarina of Time, and played a simple but happy tune. It didn't take long and was finished with a happy neighing at the end.

Looking up Link was slightly startled to see Epona, dripping with sweat, so fast.

"I guess she understood as well." Navi said flitting about Epona's head.

Link grinned, "I guess so," but wondered to himself how the horse knew, it could have been no more then ten minutes since he left. But the thought did not bug him overly much, he knew the Goddesses were on his side, as they have proved countless times in the past seven years. Looking to the sky he saw immediately the clouds covering the northeast. Mounting Epona he pointed her towards them and started her off on a slow walk.

"To the mountains it would seem. I hope the gorons have not missed me!"

**End**


	2. To Be a Hero: Zelda's Side

**AN:** Please be careful, this is not the same as the first chapter, it is very close and the same basic idea though, so I grouped them together. I've also decided to use the same dialogue as I'm lazy. More notes in my bio – look for the title of the fic.**  
**

**To Be a Hero: Zelda's Side**

She sat silently in the safe house, using her magic in trying to track the progress of the Hero Link. He was going slower then she had thought he would but she was not worried. He was the Hero and would pull through.

Her eyes snapped open, something was wrong. The Hero had suddenly started heading for the Light Temple at a fast pace. She knew of no reason for him to go there.

Standing she started to chant the words that would allow her the disguise of the Sheikah. Impa's nephew, a small boy, had taught her it. She found it slightly amusing that although he was small he was actually a few years older then herself. Her eyes closed again as she tried to concentrate, loose thoughts would not help her.

Eyes opening the color of red she used the teleporting spell to arrive before Link then hide herself using magic. She waited only a few moments before Link came striding through the door. Though his steps were sure he looked somehow defeated. His back was hunched over, his face shadowed, his hair a mess and his clothes crinkled. His fairy trailed after him looking lost as well, her tiny body stressed and flittering about Link.

He didn't pause once, heading straight for the room where he had been asleep for seven years. When he reached the pedestal he finally stopped, only to draw his sword.

"Link." Her voice was high for a man's she knew, but not too high. The spell changed it enough that one might be in question but it was not unbelievable for her to be male.

He stopped, but did not turn to look at her. "Did you want something Sheik?"

Sheik, the name she chose to introduce herself as, she found it strange for him to call her it but it was needed for her own safety, as was this disguise. She took a few steps towards Link, trying to figure out what he was doing, as he obviously wasn't in his right mind, "Link, what are you doing?"

"I can't handle it." His voice cracked slightly, "I'm not a hero, not the one you're looking for. And so, I'm going to return the Master Sword."

What does he mean he can't handle it, who else could be the Hero? The Goddesses chose him and he had to perform as they asked. Zelda walked forward until she reached Link then put her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort what she did not understand. "You can't, only one can wield the master sword and you are the chosen."

Link brushed the hand off and laughed slightly, "Only one, me? Please, you must know of my progress in the Forest Temple, I made near none and all of it slow."

Zelda persisted though, trying to explain to him his own strength and importance, of how no one else who had went had even made it past the door, not even herself, "Yet you did it, you, when no one else could, saved the forest sage and all in the forest."

"Please, I have made up my mind." Link took the last step and put the sword into the stone.

A flash lit and when it was gone Link still stood, sword in his hand once more. It happened so fast Zelda could do no more then stumble back as the light flashed.

"Link?" Zelda asked, silently she added, what had just happened?

"Sheik." Link's voice was different, even his posture was different. He was standing tall now, clothes straight and neat. His back remained to her though, so she couldn't tell if anything else changed and Navi was nowhere to be seen. She was most likely hiding in his hat. "How silly I've been, how selfish."

Silly, selfish? How? And why would a flash of light reveal that? "I do not understand Hero, could you please explain to me?"

Link turned finally and she was slightly shocked, his face, which had seemed so old and shadowed had regained its youth. His face was clear and his eyes bright. Somehow he had found peace. "I did not understand, and so was refusing my responsibility. Instead of trying to find a way to understand I was attempting to run. But now," he waved his arms slightly, "I'm prepared."

Zelda nodded, "Then I must leave you to continue your quest. I would suggest looking to the mountains of your old friends, the Gorons." And I must leave myself to my confusion. She threw down a deku nut and as he stood stunned cast the teleportation spell.

She reappeared back at the safe-house full of questions. So far Impa or her nephew would tell her what she needed to tell Link only directly before she went to see him, often she did not understand the clues. Usually though she refrained from questions, this however, needed explaining.

But at least they had their Hero back.

**End**


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